American Basketball League (1925-1955)

The American Basketball League was the first true professional basketball league. Where the National Basketball League was made up of smaller town teams, generally sponsored by industrial firms, the ABL was much more ethnic and big city.Initial teams that dominated the ABL were the Cleveland Rosenblums, the New York Celtics, the Boston Whirlwinds, and the Philadelphia Sphas. Players were generally the children of first generation immigrants, many being Jewish, Italian, and Irish. Nat Holman, Harry Boykoff, Bobby McDermott and Harry Litwak were but a few early stars.
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